UPDATE: Oxford School Board to Discuss Full-Day Kindergarten

Clarification: The board will not make a decision tonight. They will simply discuss implementing full-day kindergarten. The point of this story was to inform readers that this is happening and to start a discussion about whether parents would like that. I hope we hear from parents because the board reads the comments. - Thanks, Paul Singley, editor

Original Story: 

The Oxford Board of Education will discuss whether to implement full-day kindergarten in the future at its meeting tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013, at Quaker Farms School.

Currently, Oxford is one of 36 school districts in the state that does not offer full-day kindergarten, according to the state Department of Education. The district has debated the pros and cons of full-day kindergarten for several years.

The state of Connecticut Department of Education considers a half-day kindergarten program as one that provides 450 hours of actual schoolwork for a minimum of 180 days. Approximately 21 percent of all kindergarten pupils in Connecticut are enrolled in half-day programs.

A full-day kindergarten program provides 900 hours of actual schoolwork for a minimum of 180 days, according to the state Department of Ed. Approximately 74 percent of Connecticut kindergarteners are enrolled in a full-day program, as 103 school districts, seven charter schools and 11 magnet schools provide full-day kindergarten to all students. 

All school districts are now taking a closer look at improving learning at an early age, especially since by 2014-15, school districts will be required to meet new learning objectives under the Common Core State Standards. 

Last year, the Connecticut Post quoted a spokesman from the state Department of Education as saying the state does not require any districts to switch to full-day kindergarten. Connecticut Department of Ed. Spokesman Jim Polites is quoted in the Post article as saying the state has not studied whether students who participate in full-day K programs are better prepared moving forward than those who are in half-day or extended-day programs. 

Tonight's Oxford Board of Ed. meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the library media center at Quaker Farms School, 30 Great Oak Road.

Readers: What do you think about full-day kindergarten? Should Oxford implement a full-day K program? Tell us in comments.